Mischievous Elf looking for new ways to be naughty

Being a parent is challenging enough without having to come up with extra fabulous Elf on the Shelf ideas - you've seen the photos on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter.

Jo Ann Kirby

Being a parent is challenging enough without having to come up with extra fabulous Elf on the Shelf ideas - you've seen the photos on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter.

This year, the elf in our home came in like a wrecking ball.

Think Miley Cyrus.

But it's been hard to top that.

Wake up at the crack of dawn in a panic because the Elf on the Shelf hasn't moved?

Join the crowd.

And help us out with some ideas.

Submit your own photos of your mischievous elf at recordnet.com/elfcontest by Dec. 23 and vote online. We will publish our favorites in the paper along with a Reader's Choice photo that garners the most votes from viewers. Don't have an Elf on the Shelf?

The book and accompanying elf is on duty more than 6 million U.S. households making sure that children are nice not naughty.

It can be found in a boxed set at stores such as Target and the back story can be found at elfontheshelf.com.

How does this tradition work? Just believe the elf is a special scout sent from the North Pole to help Santa Claus manage his naughty and nice lists. When a family adopts an elf and gives it a name, the elf receives its magic and can fly to the North Pole to report back to Santa Claus.

Basically, the elf is spying on your kids.

It behooves them to behave.

Of course, they could just become extra paranoid. So prepare to pay for therapy later.

Good times, either way.

Anyway, the elf returns to its family and perches in a different place each morning to watch the mayhem.

This is where parents get competitive and try to one up each other.

Kids? They just become conditioned to wake up and race around the house looking for their elf each morning.

There are two simple rules that every child knows when it comes to having an elf. First, an elf cannot be touched. Why? Christmas magic is very fragile and if an elf is touched it may lose its powers to fly back to the North Pole. Second, an elf won't move while anyone in the house is awake because it's just meant to watch and listen.

Elves typically appear in their families' homes at the beginning of the holiday season. On Christmas Eve, the elves return to the North Pole with Santa Claus - until next year!